[Game] Kings vs Mavs, 8/4/2020 11:30AM PST 3:30AM JST

First, it’s not Fox’s fault the team was forced by their coach to stop running and slow it down every single time down the floor the last 5 minutes of the game & play against their strengths.

You know this team likes to get out and run. And as G-Man and DC pointed out a couple times down the stretch, the KINGS had opportunities to do so but elected not to. That’s because that’s what they were coached to do. Unlike other team’s and other situations, Fox isn’t given carte blanche to run whatever he wants when he wants down the stretch.

You really think the team wouldn’t run at all if he did? You think the offense would have went through Bogdanovic multiple times the final 4 minutes in today’s game despite being 0 for double digits shooting?

That’s all on Luke Walton, not De’Aaron Fox.

Furthermore, comparing #77 with Swipa is just an awful comparison.
I feel like I need to address a few things here. First off, Kings are a basketball team, not a group of guys running a 100 m race. Running is good, but it cannot compensate for the lack of plays and a lack of basketball IQ. Running is not a magic formula that we invented and no one else can contain it. That myth has to stop.

The fact that we relied on Bogdan to take those difficult shots in the end when he was already having an awful game is the result of bad coaching and then bad playmaking. A good coach would call a play, a good PG as well. Instead, we had Bogdan taking ridiculous shots, CoJo taking shots and Fox taking shots and layups - pure iso game. That's not winning basketball and that's not smart basketball.

Fox has the ball in his hands for the most time, he's taking the highest number of shots, he's a point guard, therefore - he's the most accountable on the team. I want to see him play smarter, I want him to facilitate plays for other guys and I want him to take good shots (not a bunch of iso 1 on 3 every freaking time). It's great that he puts up big numbers for himself, but Kings are one of the worst teams in the league so I couldn't care less about individual accomplishments.

I only provided an example of Luka as someone who's a lot better facilitator and a playmaker for his team. I wasn't comparing the two individuals as they are a lot of different type of players.

We've been a horrible team for the past 15 years and that's not going to change with some incremental modifications like more running or more draft picks who may or may not explode to an all-star level in the future (so far, none of them did except DMC). We need a lot bigger change in our game in order to compete with teams like Dallas (which by the way is a mediocre team in the NBA right now).
 
I have a feeling the Kings are going to tie themselves up in big contracts on average players. Then pay to dump those contracts. Then wait a couple years to get out of the hole they dug themselves in to be able to start rebuilding again. Once they start the rebuild, they'll draft just enough talent for the 10th seed and whiff on the generational talent. Then they'll bulk up on mediocre free agents, miss out on the 8th seed and start the whole process over again.

Welcome to Sacramento.
 
The problem we had down the stretch was not being slow per se it was not moving the ball at all.

we had maybe 3 or 4 key possessions in a row where we dribbled up the floor and just pounded the ball and did nothing.

i simply don't believe that is what Walton said to the team. "dearron bring it up pound the ball don't pass to anyone and take a contested mid ranger, oh and do it four times in a row got it!"
Fox got away with an 8 second violation on one possession in the last few minutes of the fourth I think. Really no idea why our speedy PG is walking the ball up and initiating the offense with 12 seconds to go on the shotclock.
 
Fox got away with an 8 second violation on one possession in the last few minutes of the fourth I think. Really no idea why our speedy PG is walking the ball up and initiating the offense with 12 seconds to go on the shotclock.
Doug Christie seems to coach more and more from the announcers box with Grant being gone. He kept saying they needed to push the ball every possession at the end and you could tell he was miffed at why they kept walking the ball up slowly as if they were up by 8 with 2 minutes left.

They really need to get him on the coaching staff. The more I hear him talk, the more I tend to agree with what he's saying. I don't know if he has the X's and O's to be a head coach but he definitely has the fundamentals down about what to do in every situation. The kind of stuff that is the difference in winning and losing. The things that not every player knows instinctually. I think Doug would be a big help in that area.

It's like they don't practice the little things that are required to win the mini battles during games. How often have we seen Bogie just stand and watch a carom off the rim or a loose ball instead of going after it without thinking? How often does Giles watch the ball get shot and then try and guess where it's going to bounce off the rim? These things need to be pounded into their brains. If you see a loose ball, go after it. Don't watch, fundamentally do what's necessary to give yourself the higher odds of winning the battle. Ball up in the air? Put a body on the closest Mav and then get an idea of where the ball is going to bounce.

It's those things that they need more practice on to be able to ensure they don't lose most of the 50/50 balls or to ensure the opponent doesn't get 4 offensive rebounds on one possession. I just feel like a lot of our guys are consistently one step behind or just slightly dumber than most of our opponents. That's coaching.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
Doug Christie seems to coach more and more from the announcers box with Grant being gone. He kept saying they needed to push the ball every possession at the end and you could tell he was miffed at why they kept walking the ball up slowly as if they were up by 8 with 2 minutes left.

They really need to get him on the coaching staff. The more I hear him talk, the more I tend to agree with what he's saying. I don't know if he has the X's and O's to be a head coach but he definitely has the fundamentals down about what to do in every situation. The kind of stuff that is the difference in winning and losing. The things that not every player knows instinctually. I think Doug would be a big help in that area.

It's like they don't practice the little things that are required to win the mini battles during games. How often have we seen Bogie just stand and watch a carom off the rim or a loose ball instead of going after it without thinking? How often does Giles watch the ball get shot and then try and guess where it's going to bounce off the rim? These things need to be pounded into their brains. If you see a loose ball, go after it. Don't watch, fundamentally do what's necessary to give yourself the higher odds of winning the battle. Ball up in the air? Put a body on the closest Mav and then get an idea of where the ball is going to bounce.

It's those things that they need more practice on to be able to ensure they don't lose most of the 50/50 balls or to ensure the opponent doesn't get 4 offensive rebounds on one possession. I just feel like a lot of our guys are consistently one step behind or just slightly dumber than most of our opponents. That's coaching.
I think his temperament would be his strength. I think he’s full of enthusiasm but also calls out the team/players in a way that would make sense to them and not ruffle their feathers. ive always thought that if he went the coaching direction, I think he would be good.